Avoid one common gardening method to make soil 'healthier'

A gardening technique promising "healthier" and "more productive" soil is taking root among gardeners. The "no-dig" method does exactly as it says on the tin – no digging of the soil. And it is said to help various plantlife, homegrown fruitsand vegetables flourish. In stark contrast to common methods that encourage thorough soil turnover and the addition of materials such as manure, the "no-dig" approach aims to preserve the natural soil structure.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has highlighted that this particular technique eliminates the need for traditional cultivation, reduces labour, and could even be environmentallyfriendly. Meanwhile, according to the RHS, garden beds and borders are prepared by layering organic matter such as compost on top, with plants then being sown directly into this nutrient-rich layer.

The i Paper notes that soil is home to naturally formed channels created by earthworms, which facilitate water drainage and air flow, as well as soil particles bound together by a proteincalled glomalin, which is produced by fungi.

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Yet, the act of digging can disrupt these delicate structures, breaking down the worm-made channels, damaging the fungal networks, and causing carbon to be released from the soil. By steering clear of digging and thus minimising soil disturbance, gardeners can then preserve and enhance the soil's structure, leading to improved overall soil health.

Soil with larger particles tends to hold more moisture, boasts higher carbon levels and is less prone to nutrient leaching. However, digging can also make the glomalin in the soil more susceptible to decomposition, which breaks down these particles.

It was previously believed that it was necessary to dig the soil, but science has since indicated that this cultivation actually impacts both the soil structure and the natural processes that happen in it, explains the RHS.

The RHS has even gone as far as recommending the no-dig method as a "better choice" for maintaining soil health by "minimising disturbance".

In addition, Gardeners' World also spoke about the no-dig technique, emphasising how its largely used by organic vegetable growers, citing potential benefits like increased harvests, though it admits this isn't usually the case with potatoes.

Not only could gardeners see bigger veggie yields, but they'll also save time by reducing the need to dig, water, and weed – although the no-dig approach doesn't completely eradicate weeds.

Gardeners' World also notes that digging requires physical effort, while the no-dig method can enhance drainage, reduce watering needs, and help conserve carbon in the soil.

Other potential benefits of the method outlined by the publication include less mud, earlier harvests (the soil may warm up earlier), stronger plants and even improved flowers.

You can learn more about the no-dig method via the Royal Horticultural Society website here.